


The Boy in the Park

by mist2393



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-25 05:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/635685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mist2393/pseuds/mist2393
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Typical High School au. Cas and Dean meet as children playing in the park, then Cas is sent away. They meet again 8 years later, only Castiel's life has changed him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Already up, and a chapter ahead, on fanfiction (though I'll be adding the next chapter tonight or tomorrow).

Castiel stood in the park, biting his lip to keep from crying. His big brother, Uriel, was supposed to be watching him. But he had met some friends and had left Castiel there all alone. He suddenly felt something hit his foot, and he bent down to see a baseball, which he picked up. He looked up to see a kid his own age approaching. Behind the boy was an adult wearing a blue baseball cap. The boy held out his hand.  
“Gimme back my ball!” he demanded. Castiel held the ball out hesitantly, glancing up at the adult as he approached.  
“Dean,” he scolded. Dean looked up at him for a second, the back at Castiel.  
“Sorry,” he apologized. Castiel tilted his head then smiled softly.  
“That’s okay,” he replied. Dean looked at him for the first time. He reached up and brushed some stray tears off Castiel’s cheek. Castiel looked at him with wide eyes.   
“What’s wrong?” Dean asked, furrowing his brow. Castiel bit his lip. He wasn’t supposed to tell people if he was alone. But this boy was his age. Surely it was okay.  
“My big brother left me here alone,” he replied. “I’m scared.” Dean frowned then reached out and took Castiel’s hand.  
“You can play with me an’ Uncle Bobby,” he said, handing Castiel the ball. Castiel stared at the ball for a moment then looked up at Dean.   
“I’ve never played with a ball before,” he admitted. “Gabe doesn’t like them.”  
“Is Gabe the one who left you here?” Dean asked. Castiel shook his head, desperate to clear his brother’s name.   
“Uri did that. Gabe usually brings me, but Michael’s making him go to Religion now.” Castiel handed the ball to Dean and approached Bobby. “Hello sir,” he greeted, extending a hand. Bobby chuckled, surprised by Castiel’s solemn manner.  
“Call me Bobby,” he replied, taking Castiel’s hand and shaking gently.  
“I am Castiel,” the boy told him, smiling. Dean handed Castiel the ball.  
“My name’s Dean,” he said before turning to Bobby. “Uncle Bobby, go over there.” He pointed, and Bobby chuckled, walking a few feet away. Dean tapped Castiel’s shoulder, gesturing for him to throw the ball. Castiel but his lip, but attempted to throw the ball. It landed in between them and Bobby, and Castiel looked disappointed. Dean pocked up the ball and handed it to Castiel.  
“It’s okay. I wasn’t very good when Bobby taught me.” Dean carefully moved Castiel’s fingers so he was holding the ball correctly. Castiel tried throwing the ball again, and even though Bobby had to stretch to catch it, Castiel’s face lit up. They spent the rest of the afternoon throwing the ball, until around 5:30.  
“Cassie!” a voice called from the entrance of the park. Castiel turned and practically tackled the eight-year-old boy standing there.   
“Gabe, I made a friend!” Castiel exclaimed, tugging on his arm. Gabriel chuckled, letting Castiel drag him to Dean and Bobby. Gabriel looked around.  
“Where’s Uriel?” he asked. Castiel shrugged.   
“He found some friends. So I played with Dean and Bobby.” Castiel grinned, standing next to Dean. Gabriel ruffled Dean’s hair then extended a hand to Bobby.  
“Thanks for taking care of my li’l bro for me,” he said. Bobby smiled.  
“He’s a great kid,” he replied. Gabriel took Castiel’s hand gently.  
“Come on, kiddo. We’ve gotta get you home and cleaned up before dinner. Uriel was supposed to have you home in time to do your chores.” Gabriel glanced at his watch. At this final part, Castiel paled.   
“Will Michael be angry?” he asked. Gabriel wrapped a hand around Castiel’s shoulders.   
“I’ll explain it to him, alright?” he promised. Castiel nodded, leaning into Gabriel. He waved to Dean and Bobby, and the two of them left.

~

The next time Dean and Castiel saw each other was a week later. Dean and a four-year-old boy were playing in a sandbox. Bobby was sitting on a nearby bench, watching them. Castiel sat down on the grass a short distance away from Dean and the boy, his left arm in a cast and a sling. A man with shoulder-length blonde hair and a bit of scruff sat down next to Bobby, watching Castiel. Dean stood and approached Castiel, smiling.  
“Hiya,” he said as he sat down. Castiel started, then glanced at the man next to Bobby, who was watching with narrowed eyes.   
“I’m not s’possed to talk to you,” he told Dean. Dean frowned, following Castiel’s gaze.  
“How come?” he asked. Castiel looked down, frowning. He didn’t want to tell Dean. The other boy was really nice. But Castiel couldn’t disobey Michael.  
“Michael says you will corrupt me,” he whispered. Dean looked perplexed, then glanced at the man watching Castiel.  
“Is he Michael?” he asked. Castiel nodded, keeping his eyes down.  
“Castiel, what did I tell you?” Michael called from the bench. Castiel flinched, instinctively pulling his injured arm closer to his body. He pulled out a bag of blocks and quickly spelled out ‘w8 til hes gone.’ It was a message Gabriel had taught to Castiel from an early age. Dean nodded and returned to the sandbox, and they stayed until Gabriel arrived an hour later, and Michael left. Dean immediately went to Castiel, and they spent the rest of the day playing. After that day, they developed a pattern. When Castiel was alone or with Gabriel, they would play. When Michael was around, Dean would keep his distance. Whenever Sam was with them, Gabriel would entertain him with magic tricks and stories. This went on for two years, until Dean and Castiel were eight.

~

Castiel was alone as he walked into the park. He found Dean at the swing-set, and stood next to him, watching him for a moment.   
“I’m being sent away,” he told Dean quietly. Dean stopped swinging.   
“What?” he asked.  
“Michael is sending me to a Boarding School. He says I have to spend Holidays with my aunt and uncle. I don’t think I’ll ever be back.” Castiel looked down, and Dean slid off the swing and pulled Castiel in a hug.   
“I’m gonna miss you,” he whispered. Castiel buried his face in Dean’s neck.  
“I’m gonna miss you as well,” Castiel murmured. They stayed like that for almost ten minutes.  
“Castiel!” Gabriel’s voice called from the entrance of the park. Castiel pulled away to look over at Gabriel.  
“Yes, Gabriel?” he asked.  
“Michael wants you home, so you can finish packing,” Gabriel answered. Castiel nodded, turning to hug Dean one last time before running to Gabriel, taking his hand. He left for school the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 8 years later, Castiel has changed and forgotten Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Rape and Child Abuse.

~8 Years Later~

It was Castiel’s first day at his new high school. He had been pulled out of boarding school a week ago, and was joining Gabriel in the local high school. He arrived early and went straight to his classroom, where the teacher showed him to a seat in the back, and Castiel hid behind a book while he waited for class to start. The other students were avoiding sitting near him, put off by his over-sized trench coat and the bruising spreading up his neck to his cheek. Castiel didn’t care though. He preferred it that way.  
The first class went by quickly, and Castiel left early, by permission of a doctor’s note that he couldn’t be in the hallways when the other students were. He vaguely heard the teacher’s angry voice, followed by a flippant reply and footsteps. Whoever was walking stopped.  
“Cas?” someone breathed. Castiel turned, tilting his head when he saw a boy with bright green eyes and dirty-blonde hair. The boy’s eyes stirred a faint memory, but Castiel didn’t know why.  
“Do I know you?” Castiel inquired. The boy’s face fell for a moment, then he quickly covered it up.  
“I’m Dean Winchester,” he told Castiel.  
“Castiel Novak,” Castiel replied. Dean smiled, reaching out to place a hand on Castiel’s arm. Castiel flinched away, biting his lip. Dean pulled his arm back, looking apologetic.  
“Sorry,” he said. Castiel shook his head.  
“It’s not you. I just don’t like being touched,” Castiel explained. “Only Gabriel and Balthazar may touch me.”  
“How come?” Dean asked. Castiel bit his lip again.  
“Because I said so,” he finally murmured. The bell rang, and Castiel jumped. He pressed himself against the wall, his eyes widening. Students began filling the hall, and Castiel’s breathing became labored as people bumped into him. Dean watched for a moment, then placed himself in front of Castiel, blocking him from the other students. He stayed like that until the hallways cleared, then he turned to Castiel, who was still breathing heavily, though he was no longer wheezing.  
“Are you okay?” Dean asked quietly. Castiel nodded shakily.  
“I need water,” he murmured. Dean smiled, pulling away and leading Castiel to the bathroom. Castiel went to the sink and splashed his face. He put his head under the faucet, drinking and getting his face wet. Dean watched from next to the door, then approached as color returned to Castiel’s face.   
“Do you want to go to class now?” Dean asked. Castiel shook his head, sitting down.  
“But I have to or they will call home, right?” he looked at Dean with wide eyes. Dean shook his head.  
“Only if you do it several days in a row,” he replied. “They might call you to the main office. But even if they did, I’m sure your brother will understand.” Castiel shook his head.   
“What do you know of Michael?” he asked.   
“My younger brother is friends with Gabriel, and from what I’ve heard he seems nice enough,” Dean explained.  
“Gabriel is lying. If Michael knew I had another panic attack, he would be very angry.” Castiel drew his knees up to his chest. Dean immediately felt bad when he saw how miserable the other boy looked. He sat down next to him, remaining silent for a moment.  
“You and I used to know each other,” he remarked finally, looking over at Castiel. “We used to play in the park together.” Castiel stared at Dean.  
“Michael wanted me to forget, but I didn’t,” he said after a long pause. “When I was at the boarding school, I used to remember those times to get me through the day. I didn’t remember your name or face though.” He bit his lip, then leaned against Dean. Dean looked at Castiel in surprise. After Castiel had been so upset about being touched, he hadn’t expected that. It was a minute before Dean realized Castiel was crying.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked.  
“Everything,” Castiel answered quietly. Dean furrowed his brow, tentatively wrapping an arm around Castiel and rubbing the other boy’s arm.  
“If Michael’s so bad, you probably don’t want to go home, do you?” he inquired. Castiel shook his head. “Do you want to stay with my uncle Bobby, Sammy, and me for the night?” Castiel looked up at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes.   
“Can Gabriel come?” he questioned as he pressed closer to Dean, seeking more comfort.   
“Of course,” Dean replied without hesitation. “I thought you said only Gabe and Balthazar could touch you.” Castiel pulled his phone out to text Gabriel.  
“That park was one of the only places I felt safe as a child,” Castiel began. “You and your uncle made my childhood bearable.” Castiel curled up against Dean. “It was the memory of the boy in the park that got me through boarding school.” Dean smiled softly, tightening his hold on Castiel. At that moment, the bathroom door slammed open and Gabriel walked in.  
“Heya baby bro,” he greeted, spotting Castiel and Dean. “Deano, what a pleasant surprise!” Castiel untangled himself from Dean and went to Gabriel, hugging him tightly. Gabriel lifted Castiel up slightly, then placed him back on his feet. He was obviously just barely hiding the pain that the movement caused him, grunting faintly.  
“I don’t want to go here anymore,” Castiel whispered. Gabriel rubbed his back soothingly.  
“I know, Cassie. It’ll get better, just wait.” Gabriel pulled back, looking over at Dean, who had stood and was watching them silently. “What happened?”  
“He had a panic attack,” Dean replied, standing up.  
“Michael will be angry, Castiel said fearfully. Gabriel pulled him close again.  
“It’s gonna be alright, Cassie.” He stroked Castiel’s hair until the other calmed down. Once he was feeling less scared, Castiel pulled away.  
“Dean said we can go to his Uncle Bobby’s house,” he stated. Gabriel glanced at Dean.  
“Sure, we’ll come,” he decided. Castiel smiled, reaching out for Dean’s hand. Dean took his hand, squeezing gently. Castiel looked between Dean and Gabriel.   
“Can we leave now?” he asked. Dean glanced at Gabriel.  
“We have to stop by Sam’s classroom to get him,” he remarked. Gabriel nodded.  
“You take Cassie outside. I’ll go fetch Sam.” With that, he left, and Dean pulled Castiel closer.  
“Come on, Cas. You okay to go outside?” He looked down at Castiel, who nodded and pressed closer to Dean. They walked outside, using a side door no one watched. Dean led Castiel to his car, a ’67 Chevy Impala with black paint gleaming in the sunlight. They leaned against the car, Castiel folded in Dean’s arms. Dean rested his chin on top of Castiel’s head.  
“What happened?” he asked. Castiel shook his head, pressing closer.  
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He looked up when he heard Gabriel’s voice. Gabriel was approaching them with a younger boy, who had floppy brown hair.  
“Samwise, this is my little brother, Castiel,” Gabriel said. “Cassie, this is Sam.” Sam smiled, extending a hand. Castiel flinched slightly, pressing closer to Dean. Dean rubbed Castiel’s back gently.  
“Cas, you remember Sam, don’t you? He used to play with us,” Dean murmured. Castiel nodded, tentatively reaching out to take Sam’s hand. Sam smiled gently.  
“Hi Cas,” he greeted. Castiel just smiled, pulling his hand back and curling against Dean again. Gabriel chuckled at the sight.  
“Cassie, you’re going to have to let him drive,” he pointed out. Castiel looked up with wide eyes.  
“Dean makes me feel safe,” he whispered. Dean smiled slightly, rubbing Castiel’s back. He looked down at the other.  
“I have to drive. But you can stay right next to me, okay?” he asked gently. Castiel nodded.  
“Okay,” he mumbled. Dean smiled, opening the passenger door for Castiel. The smaller boy climbed in, and Dean closed the door. He climbed into the driver’s seat while Gabriel and Sam climbed into the back. Castiel slid over on the bench seat so he was as close to Dean as possible. Dean started driving, occasionally glancing at Castiel. They were at a red light when suddenly both Castiel and Gabriel dripped down, hiding beneath the windows. Dean glanced at them, then looked around outside curiously. When they had pulled away from the light, Gabriel leaned up and peered out the window.  
“It’s safe, Cassie,” he said, sitting up fully and wincing. Castiel sat up as well.  
“Wanna tell me what that was about?” Dean asked, cocking an eyebrow. Castiel bit his lip, looking down for a moment.  
“Michael,” he whispered. Dean sighed, but didn’t say anything. He pulled into a salvage yard and parked. Everyone climbed out, and Dean led the way inside. They dumped their bags next to the door, and Dean led them into the living room and sat down on the couch. Castiel sat next to Dean, leaning against him while Dean wrapped his arm around him. Gabriel sat in an overstuffed armchair, and Sam sat on the floor, a notebook in his hand to start his homework. Dean looked down at Castiel.  
“What happened at your last school?” he asked quietly. Castiel took a deep breath.  
“God punished me,” he murmured. Gabriel scoffed.  
“He was raped,” he stated bluntly. “Then Michael twisted it in his mind.”


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooh. Look who's back :D Sorry about the long long nothingness. I'm an English major, and I'm taking like, three different creative writing courses, so most of my free time goes to writing for that, and on top of that I was without my laptop for a month. This chapter's mostly just filler, not a lot happens and not a lot of new information is given. Next chapter will be more interesting, and depending on if I can find a beta for it should be up by the end of the week.

“He was raped,” Gabriel stated bluntly. “Then Michael twisted it in his mind.” Castiel shook his head, pressing closer to Dean.  
“God punished me,” he repeated. “I was having sinful thoughts about another boy, and then I was punished.” Dean frowned, tightening his hold on Castiel.  
“Cas, that’s not what happened. If Hod punished anyone who was attracted to men, I would have been punished a long time ago.” Dean pulled away and turned Castiel to look at him. “There is nothing wrong with liking guys.” Castiel stared at him for a moment.  
“If it was not God’s will, why would they do that?” he asked in a small voice. Dean pulled him back into a hug, stroking his hair.  
“Because sometimes people do horrible things for no reason,” he murmured. Castiel buried his head in Dean’s chest. He pulled away suddenly when he heard footsteps, shooting to the other end of the couch. He curled up, hiding himself from the man who entered the room. Dean moved back to Castiel’s side, pulling him close.  
“Who’s this?” the man asked.  
“This is Castiel,” Dean told him. “Cas, this is my Uncle Bobby. You remember him, don’t you?” Castiel uncurled slightly, looking up at Bobby with wide eyes.  
“You were at the park,” he murmured. Bobby furrowed his brow for a moment.  
“You’re that boy who used to play with Dean,” he stated. Castiel nodded, pressing close to Dean again.  
“I told Cas and Gabe they could stay with us for a few days. Is that alright?” Dean asked. Bobby looked from Castiel to Gabriel. He knew he probably shouldn’t. Michael could call the police, and Bobby risked losing Sam and Dean unless Castiel and Gabriel let him call Child Protective Services and Bobby could take custody of the two boys. Looking at them though, Bobby knew that he had to let them stay. Castiel looked like he was within two days of a complete mental breakdown, and despite the fact that Gabriel was trying to look strong, there was desperation in his eyes.  
“That’s fine,” he finally agreed. Gabriel visibly sagged, and a small smile crossed Castiel’s face. Castiel glanced at the clock and pulled away from Dean, going towards their bags. He picked up Gabriel’s, carrying it back over. Gabriel sighed, but stood up. He stood by Castiel, touching his younger brother’s arm.  
“We’ll be in the bathroom,” he told the others before leading Castiel away. Dean watched them leave, then turned to Sam.  
“Do you know what that’s about?” he asked, furrowing his brow. Sam nodded.  
“Gabe got pretty badly injured last week. Apparently, he almost died. Michael’s been making him go to school anyway, and Cas is the only one who’ll help him take care of it.” Sam shrugged at Dean’s incredulous look. “Gabe explained it after I hugged him the other day.”  
Bobby swore, looking in the direction the Novak brothers had gone. He had had a suspicion that abused his younger siblings since he’d first met Castiel. He had never heard any confirmation until now. He pulled out his cellphone, glancing at Sam and Dean.  
“I’ll be outside,” he told them, leaving the room and dialing the number for C.P.S. He had put it into his phone when he had finally called on John a few years ago.  
Gabriel and Castiel appeared half-an-hour later and Gabriel curled up in the chair he’d been in earlier. Castiel pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over his brother. Gabriel smiled at Castiel dopily, obviously on some kind of drug, and murmured something. Castiel chuckled, mumbling something in reply. He ran a hand through Gabriel’s hair, and Gabriel closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off. Once he was asleep, Castiel returned to the couck, leaning against Dean and closing his eyes as well. Dean wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. He watched Sam as he fetched his bag to start working on homework. Neither of them wanted to disturb Castiel and Gabriel.  
At six, Dean started trying to extricate himself from Castiel without disturbing him. The smaller boy shot awake immediately, looking around for a moment. Dean chuckled at the look on his face, and Castiel looked up at him, smiling softly. Dean stared down at him, reaching up to cup Castiel’s cheek, stroking the soft skin under his eye. Castiel leaned into the touch, humming happily.  
Dean didn’t know what made him treat Castiel so tenderly. He was normally the first to shy away from physical contact, unless he was in a fight. He couldn’t help it though. Castiel was so broken, and it was so clear that all of Dean’s holding and touches made him feel so safe. Dean wanted to protect Castiel from everything he’d been though.  
“I’ve gotta make dinner,” he murmured. Castiel nodded, standing up.  
“I can help you,” he whispered. He smiled, and Dean nodded. He led Castiel into the kitchen.  
“What do you like?” he asked.  
“I like burgers, but we don’t get them unless Michael is out of town.” Castiel shrugged, and Dean grinned.  
“Me too,” he remarked. “We have the ground beef if that’s what you want.” Castiel opened his mouth to respond, but there was a pounding on the front door.


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet Michael. Also, trigger warnings for pretty explicit self-harm and hints of an eating disorder (it'll be more obvious in later chapters though). Threats and violence and protective Dean ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm going to try to get myself on a schedule of updating every Sunday. The next chapter is giving me some trouble, because it's the first one I didn't write 6 months ago. Anyway, it's half done so it'll almost definitely be done by next Sunday.

Castiel jumped and practically ran into Dean’s arms, trembling. Bobby walked to the foyer from upstairs, opening the door.  
“What do you want?” he demanded.  
“Are my brothers here?” the man at the door asked. Castiel squeaked, burying his head in Dean’s chest. Dean rubbed his back gently. Bobby furrowed his brow.  
“Gabe stopped by earlier to drop something off for the boys, but he’s gone now,” he replied. Michael narrowed his eyes, trying to see around Bobby. He pulled out his phone, dialing Gabriel’s number. Gabriel stirred as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn’t wake up enough to answer it, however, and Michael became even more enraged.  
“If I find out you’re hiding them from me, I’ll call the police and make sure you never see your ‘boys’ again.” With that, he turned around and left and Bobby went into the kitchen. Castiel was trembling even harder, one step away from a full-blown panic attack. Dean was swaying him gently, humming. Sam and Gabriel entered the room a moment later. Gabriel went straight to Castiel, rubbing his arm.  
“It’s going to be alright, kiddo,” he murmured. Castiel looked up at Gabriel with wide eyes.  
“Promise?” he asked.  
“Promise, Li’l bro. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He held out a chocolate bar, which Castiel took, nibbling on it. Gabriel tousled his hair, smiling gently. He turned to Dean. “What’s for dinner?”  
“Burgers,” Dean replied. Gabriel grinned widely.  
“Great! I haven’t had a burger in forever!” he exclaimed. Castiel smiled softly; Gabriel’s gregarious nature always made him feel better. He looked up at Dean.  
“I wish to lie down,” he murmured. Dean nodded.  
“Alright, do you want me to come with you?” he asked. Castiel shook his head. “Okay. Go up to the second door on your left upstairs. I’ll come get you for dinner.” Castiel smiled, hugging Dean quickly before grabbing his bag and running upstairs.   
He found the room Dean had told him to and he crawled into the closet, bringing his bag with him. He slowly pulled out a switchblade, which he had taken from his ex-boyfriend. He flicked the blade out and stared at it, wondering if he should really do what he was about to do. He hadn’t cut in over a month. But now Michael had threatened Dean and Sam and Bobby and it was all his fault. He pulled up the leg on his pants. He had learned long ago that it was easiest to hide scars on his legs. He had just begun to drag the knife across his leg when the closet door was opened.  
“Cas?” Dean asked. He knelt down next to Castiel, gently taking away the knife. Castiel looked up at him with wide eyes, shrinking away slightly. Dean looked down at Castiel’s leg, which was bleeding freely. Dean’s sudden appearance had made Castiel jump and he’d dug the blade in too far. Dean pulled a shirt off one of the hangers above their heads and pressed it against the wound. He kept one hand on that while he sat down and wrapped his other arm around Castiel, pulling him close. Throughout all of this, Castiel remained frozen, watching Dean with wide eyes and waiting to be scolded. He leaned into Dean, feeling tears in his eyes.  
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. Dean furrowed his brow, kissing the top of Castiel’s head.  
“For what?” he asked.  
“I’ve put your family inn danger,” Castiel murmured.   
“No you didn’t, Cas. Michael did that, okay? It’s not your fault.” Dean took his hand off Castiel’s leg and pulled the smaller boy into a hug. Castiel curled into him, holding on to Dean’s shirt and trying not to cry. Dean rubbed his back gently, humming softly.  
“Why are you so kind to me?” Castiel asked after a moment. Dean looked down at him. He didn’t want to admit the real reason, because he didn’t want to admit that he had a crush on the other boy. He was afraid it would scare him away.  
“Because you deserve it,” he finally whispered, kissing Castiel’s forehead. Castiel nuzzled against Dean, smiling.  
“I’m hungry, Dean,” he murmured. Dean nodded, brushing Castiel’s bangs off his forehead. Castiel leaned into the touch, closing his eyes.   
“If you come downstairs, I can make you a burger. You said you like them, right?” he asked. Castiel nodded, slowly standing up. He dug into his bag and pulled out a large band-aid, putting it over the cut on his leg. He pushed the leg of his pants down and turned to Dean.  
“Please don’t tell anyone,” he whispered. Dean wrapped his arms around Castiel, holding him close.   
“I won’t,” he promised. Castiel returned the hug then pulled away and went downstairs with Dean following closely. Gabriel looked surprised when he saw them, but he smiled. Castiel smiled back weakly, sitting down. Dean sat down next to him, handing him a plate with a burger on it. Castiel picked at the burger, only making it through about half of it before pushing it away. Dean finished his burger and then turned to Castiel.  
“Do you want to watch television or go to bed?” he asked. Castiel looked over at Gabriel questioningly.  
“We’ll be going to bed. Cassie has to sleep with me for now,” the older boy told them. Dean looked curious, but didn’t ask. Castiel stood up and hugged Dean tightly from behind before going to Gabriel’s side. Gabriel took his hand and led him upstairs so they could get changed and climb into bed together.


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo....I realized I gave you guys chapter 5 and forgot to ever give you chapter four, so for those of you who read chapter 5 earlier, this was supposed to come first...

Dean had been having a pleasant dream about his mother when he, along with everyone else in the house, was woken up by a scream. Dean shot out of bed and walked into the hallway in time to see Castiel running downstairs and slamming the front door. Gabriel stood at the top of the stairs, watching with a broken look on his face. Sam and Bobby came out behind Dean, watching as well. Dean walked to Gabriel's side.

"What happened?" he asked. Gabriel jumped, then turned to him.

"Cassie had a nightmare. Normally I can calm him down but he just…ran." He looked back at Sam and Bobby before looking at Dean again. "I can't run. Not without messing up my back again."

Dean touched Gabriel's arm before running after Castiel. It took him almost half-an-hour to find him. The city was big and he didn't know where the other boy would have gone. It turned out he had gone to the park. He was sitting at the top of one of the slides, staring up at the stars. Dean climbed up the ladder to stand behind Castiel.

"Hey, Cas," he murmured. Castiel looked at him, and Dean could faintly see the tears on his cheeks. He reached out and gently rubbed the tears away. "What are you doing out here? It's kind of late for a stroll through the park, don't you think?"

"I like coming out here to think. And Orion makes me feel safe." Castiel pointed to the constellation, which was positioned just above them. He pushed himself down the slide and Dean followed, curious about what Castiel was planning. He went to the smaller boy's side, taking his hand.

"Let's go for a walk. I can be your Orion from now on," he told Castiel, who looked at him with wide eyes. He leaned into Dean slightly, smiling as they started walking. Dean led Castiel down a path that led into the woods surrounding the park. A little way in, he turned to Castiel.

"Cas, do you trust me?" he asked.

"Y-yes," Castiel replied, tilting his head. He had no idea why Dean was asking. Of course he trusted the other boy. Dean nodded.

"There's something I want to show you, but we have to go off the trail. If you don't think you can do it, we don't have to. I can show you another time." He squeezed Castiel's hand gently. Castiel looked around at the woods surrounding them, and he bit his lip, the fear clear in his eyes. Dean cupped Castiel's cheek gently, stroking his skin with his thumb. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Castiel leaned into the touch, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Okay," he agreed. "Just…if I freak out, you'll understand, right?"

"Of course, Cas." Dean kissed Castiel's forehead gently before leading him into the woods. It was only a couple minutes before Dean was leading Castiel into a wide clearing. There was a small stream on one side of the clearing, and the rest was completely open. The stars were bright overhead, and the grass looked untouched. It was clear not many people came to this area.

"What is this, Dean?" Castiel inquired, looking up at the other. Dean was silent as he led Castiel into the middle and sat down, pulling Castiel down next to him.

"This is where I come to think," he said quietly. Castiel leaned against his shoulder, looking up at him.

"It's pretty," he murmured. "Thank you for showing me this."

"You told about yours," Dean replied almost silently. He wrapped an arm around Castiel and laid back, pulling the other boy down with him. Castiel snuggled against Dean, resting his head on the other's shoulder.

"We're friends, right?" he asked after a moment. Dean looked down at him in surprise.

"Of course we are," he replied, stroking Castiel's hair. Castiel smiled softly, closing his eyes and relaxing against Dean. It wasn't long before he had fallen asleep, and Dean followed soon after.

Dean was woken up by the sound of shouting from nearby. He furrowed his brow when he realized it was someone shouting for Castiel. The smaller boy was still asleep, curled as close to Dean's side as possible. Dean sighed before gently shaking Castiel awake.

"Cas, I think Gabe's looking for you," he whispered. Castiel opened his eyes and looked up at Dean, then looked over his shoulder towards the direction of Gabriel's voice. He reluctantly sat up, yawning and stretching. He looked around and only then seemed to realize where they were. He jumped up and grabbed Dean's hand, tugging him up as well. They both ran out of the clearing and almost straight into Gabriel. The older boy stared at them for a moment before pulling Castiel into a tight hug.

"God, Cassie, don't ever do that to me again," he scolded. Castiel returned the hug then pulled away with a sheepish smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. Dean and I…we…I fell asleep." He sounded extremely proud of himself, and Gabriel chuckled, patting Castiel's arm.

"Of course you did. Running around at midnight, what did you expect?" He ruffled his brother's hair and turned to Dean. "Was he alright when you found him?"

Dean nodded, resting a hand on Castiel's arm. The smaller boy rolled his eyes at the two, but he leaned against Dean slightly.

"I was on the slide," he remarked after a moment. "Stargazing. Orion made me feel better before Dean arrived."

Dean wrapped his arm around Castiel, holding him close. Gabriel patted both of their arms before taking a couple steps back.

"Come on, you two. Bobby will get angry if we make him wait too long. He'll take away my candy." The older boy pouted and Castiel pulled away from Dean, taking his hand and entwining their fingers. The three of them started walking home, Gabriel remaining slightly in front of the younger two.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I posted this earlier and then realized I forgot to give you a chapter so I had to delete this so I could put the other chapter up so yeah...

Bobby let the four boys stay home from school that day, telling them that they needed a day to settle in. Dean and Castiel spent the day in Dean's room, reading their English book together. Gabriel had settled into a corner on the couch where he could keep an eye on the stairs in case Castiel needed him. Sam was sitting on the floor, working on homework and reading.  
At around five that night, Bobby came inside from where he'd been working on cars all day. He called Castiel and Dean from downstairs, and once everyone was settled in the living room he smiled.  
"I'm going to take you boys out for dinner tonight," he told them. Dean and Sam both grinned, but Gabriel looked nervous.  
"What if Michael sees us?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. Dean tightened his hold on Castiel at the mention of his older brother, feeling the other boy tremble.  
"We're going to the Roadhouse. It's owned by a friend of mine, and I've already asked her to make sure that Michael isn't allowed in." Bobby wasn't used to doing so much for strangers, but Gabriel and Castiel seemed to need all the kindness they could get. Gabriel glanced over at Castiel, who was sitting pressed against Dean, trying to hide his hopeful expression in Dean's chest.  
"Okay. That sounds good," Gabriel agreed. Bobby nodded.  
"Come on then. I'm hungry." He turned and headed outside, the boys hurrying to follow. Bobby's truck was old and rusted, and the four boys would never fit, so Bobby went around to the side yard and led them to a minivan. Bobby hated using it; it had belonged to his wife before she died. Castiel and Dean went into the far back, where there was a bench seat, while Sam and Gabriel buckled themselves in the middle row. Bobby started the van and began driving to the roadhouse.

Once they were there, they were led to a corner booth. Castiel sat in between Gabriel and Dean, with Sam on Gabriel's other side and Bobby in the only normal seat. Dean wrapped an arm around Castiel, holding the smaller boy close. Castiel rested his head on Dean's shoulder as he looked over the menu.  
"What do you think you want?" Dean asked, resting his chin on top of Castiel's head. The other boy closed his eyes, simply taking in Dean's presence for a moment.  
"Are the burgers here good?" he finally questioned.  
"The best," Dean told him, chuckling. Castiel nodded, then relaxed into Dean, closing his eyes again and focusing on being surrounded by Dean. He hadn't been out to a restaurant since his last boyfriend had taken him to one on a date. Being in one now wasn't bringing up the best memories, so Castiel focused as much as he could on Dean to keep from having a panic attack.  
Dean could feel Castiel's rising panic in the way the other was tensing up and starting to tremble slightly. He rubbed Castiel's back and arm, anything he could reach. The smaller boy relaxed instantly, letting out a sigh.  
"Thank you," he whispered. Dean kissed the top of Castiel's head.  
"Cassie, are you going to feel up to going to school tomorrow?" Gabriel asked, looking over at his brother. Castiel bit his lip, pressing closer to Dean.  
"Only if Dean's going," he murmured. "I don't want to go alone."  
"Of course I'll go, Cas. I'm not gonna leave you unless you want me to, alright?" Dean promised, kissing Castiel's temple. Gabriel smiled, patting his brother's arm.  
"I'll be right there with you too, baby bro. Any time you need me, you just text me and I'll be right there." He patted Sam's head. "I'm sure Sammich feels the same. Right, kiddo?"  
Sam nodded, smiling. "Whatever you need from me, just ask." Castiel looked between the three of them, then smiled shyly as he ducked his head. He was about to say something when a blonde girl their own age walked over, smiling when she spotted Dean.  
"Hey, Dean," she greeted. "Sam. Bobby. Who are your friends?" Castiel shivered slightly and shrank away. Dean tightened his grip on him, rubbing his arm.  
"Jo, this is Cas and Gabe. Gabe's the one who hangs out with Sammy, and Cas just started at school. Cas, this is Jo. She's one of my best friends. She's safe, I promise." Dean kissed Castiel's forehead before running a gentle hand through his hair. Castiel looked up at Jo, biting his lip. Jo smiled gently, waiting until Castiel had relaxed somewhat before speaking.  
"Hi, Cas. It's nice to meet you. How do you like our school so far?" she asked, already writing down drink orders for Bobby, Sam, and Dean. She didn't have to bother asking them.  
"It's….crowded," Castiel murmured in reply. Gabriel rubbed his brother's back, leaning over slightly to catch his eye.  
"What do you want to drink, Cassie?" he asked quietly. Castiel pulled a menu close and looked at the drinks for a long time.  
"S-sprite, please," he whispered. Jo nodded, writing it down before looking at Gabriel. Gabriel glanced at the menu in Castiel's hands.  
"I'll take a Shirley Temple, sweetcheeks," he ordered, smirking. Castiel glared at him out of the corner of his eyes, causing Gabriel to laugh. He loved it when he got to see flashes of the old Castiel, before he'd become so broken. Castiel ducked his head as he smiled, burying his head in Dean's chest again. Sam nudged Gabriel with his elbow as he looked up at Jo, smiling.  
"Ignore him, Jo. He's just being a jerk," he suggested, at which Gabriel looked offended.  
"I'm not that bad, Sammykins," he protested. Castiel glanced up at him.  
"Yes, you are," he mumbled. Dean smiled, shaking with silent laughter. Castiel looked up at the other, smiling proudly. Dean pressed their foreheads together, cupping the other boy's face, stroking his cheek with his thumb. Gabriel and Sam looked at each other, then made matching gagging sounds. Jo gave them all an exasperated look before turning to put in their drink orders.

By the end of the night, they had all eaten their fill. Even Castiel had eaten three quarters of his burger, which was more than he had eaten in a while and the most he could eat without getting sick. He was curled up, almost completely on Dean's lap, his eyes closed while he waited for them to leave. Dean had his arms around the other boy, stroking his hair and humming softly to him. Gabriel and Sam were playing Dots on a notepad, and Bobby watched the four of them, contemplating what it would be like to have the four of them under his roof together.  
They paid the bill and went to the van. Castiel was asleep almost as soon as he was in the seat, lying down with his head in Dean's lap. Dean smiled at him, and Gabriel twisted around in his seat to look at his brother.  
"He hasn't been out in public for that long since…well, it's been a while. I'm proud of him. He'll probably sleep like the dead tonight though." He reached back to stroke Castiel's arm. The younger boy shifted slightly, pressing closer to Dean. When they arrived back at Bobby's, Dean carried Castiel up to his bedroom, tucking him in and kissing his forehead. Castiel stirred, looking up at the other.  
"Dean?" he breathed before yawning widely. Dean chuckled, sitting down on the edge of the bed.  
"Go back to sleep, Cas. Gabe will be in soon," he promised, caressing the other's cheek with his knuckles. Castiel leaned into the touch, closing his eyes.  
"Stay," he mumbled. "I want you here. Or…or both. Tonight. Please?" He opened his eyes to look up at Dean pleadingly. Dean nodded, kissing Castiel's forehead again. He stayed on the edge of the bed, watching the other boy drift off, until Gabriel walked in. He paused when he saw that Dean was still in there.  
"Hi, Gabe," Dean whispered, looking up at the older boy. "Cas wants us both here tonight."  
Gabriel walked over, eyes on Castiel, who was still barely awake. He looked between the two carefully, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.  
"Cassie, you okay with that?" he asked after a long moment. Castiel nodded, grabbing Dean's hand.  
"I want Dean here," he muttered. "I want you here too. So I don't get scared."  
Gabriel nodded, crawling into bed on one side of Castiel. After a moment, Dean crawled in on the other side. They both held still, waiting to see what Castiel would do. The boy eventually rolled onto his side to face Gabriel, then slid back until his back was pressed against Dean's chest. Dean slowly wrapped his arms around Castiel. In this position, Castiel could remain close to Dean, while still being able to look to Gabriel whenever he needed to. The three of them fell asleep like that.


End file.
